Improvement in corn-planters



T. SPARKS.

CORN-PLANTER. .m.188,430. Patented March .13, 1877 l "f m rryE ES Zmvmo: '5 I" T v W ATTORNEYS,

1 STAT-ES PA NT FICE IMPROVEMENT IN CORN-PLANTERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 188.430, dated March13, 1877; application filed January 6, 1877.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, THOMAS SPARKS, ofKentontown, in the county of Robertson and State of Kentucky, haveinvented a new and valuable Improvement in Corn-Planters; and I dohereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription of the construc tion and operation of the same, referencebeing had to the annexed drawings, making a part of this specification,and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a representation of a central verticalsection of my corn-planter, and Fig.2 is a plan view thereof.

This invention relates to corn-planters. The.

nature of said invention consists in making the covering shovellaterally vibratory, as hereinafter more fully set forth.

In the annexed drawings, Adesignates the beam of my corn-planter; B, twoplow-handles, secured to opposite sides of the middle thereof; 0, aslotted cross-piece, connecting said handles, and D two bracessustaining the rear ends of said handles, the lower ends of the saidbraces being rigidly attached to the rear end of said beam A, onopposite sides thereof. To the under side of said beam, near the frontthereof, I attach two knees or long brackets, E, between which a smalltransporting-wheel, F, is journaled. Behind said wheel, and at or nearthe middle of said beam A, a plow-standard, Gr, is'secured thereto. Saidstandard carries a furrowing-plow, H, and is provided with a curvedbrace, h- I designates a dropping-tube, arranged behind furrowingplow H,so as to deposit the corn in the furrow made thereby. Said tube isattached to the under side of beam A, and forms an exterior continuationof a vertical passage, 01,-, indicated in Fig. 1, which extends 'upthrough said beam. Said dropping-tube I is supplied with grain, by meansof the following devices: J designates a seed-box, placed upon the rearend of beam A, and secured thereto in any suitable manner. At the bottomof said box there is an opening, t, extending to the front thereof, andin this space, 'i, a feeding-slide, K, reciprocates longitudinally. Saidslide is provided with a pocket, Ia, which receives, at each rearwardmovement, a charge of corn from seed-box J, and deposits the same, at

each forward movement, in dropping-tube I. This reciprocatinglongitudinal motion is given to said slide by means of a pitmau, L,which is operated by a crank-shaft, M, journaled in two uprights, N N,rigidly secured to said beam A. One end of said crank-shaft is extendedbeyond its upright N, and provided with a grooved pulley, 0, whichreceives motion through an endless band, P, from a similar pulley, Q, onthe extended axle of transporting-wheel F. Thus each rotation of thelatter wheel causes a charge of corn to be deposited in the furrow madeby plow H.

The joint between feeding-slide K and pitman L is made by means of aT-shaped piece, k,"attached to'thefront end of the former. Piece Lembraces the long tongue or shank of piece It, and the two are pivotallyconnected, so that said pitman may change its inclination as its rearend is raised or lowered, and transmit a longitudinal reciprocatorymotion to said slide without binding or straining.

In case the power-transmitting band or cord 1? becomes stretched, so asnot to operate satisfactorily, it is tightened by the followingmechanism: R designates a tighteninglever, pivoted to theside of beam A,and carrying in its bifurcated lower end a small grooved wheel, B, whichis arranged to bear against said cord or band. The upper endof saidtightening-lever is pivotally attached to the bifurcated front end of along rod, S, which is provided on its under side, near its rear end,with a series of notches, 8. Teeth may be substituted for said notches,and in either case they are adapted to engage with the lower part of afixed metal guide or staple, T, secured to oneof the said handles B.Said guide or staple also supports the rear end of said long operatingrod S. By sliding said rod S forward, and looking it at the desiredpoint, the said endless band or cord P is kept sufficiently taut tooperate satisfactorily.

The grain, after being dropped as hereinbefore described, is covered bya covering-plow, U, which is carried by the lower end of a standard, V,pivoted to the rear of beam A, so as to be capable of lateral vibration,and strengthened orv braced by a band or clevis, V The upper end of saidstandard is tapered to form a handle, V which extends up through theslot 0 in cross-piece O. I Said ban-- dle and crass-piece are providedwith any suitable locking devices, (for instance, a rack andcatch-piece,) in order that the said handle may be secured in anydesired position. Standard V is strengthened by a pivoted 1 brace, '0,which may also be vibrated laterally. The lateral vibratoryadjustability of said covering-plow U enables the operator to cover thefurrow and grain from either side. Both the belt tightening and the plowadjusting devices may be operated from the rear of the 4 corn-planterwithout inconvenience or delay.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, :is l

Pivoted standard V, provided with coveringshovel U and handle V incombination with beam A, band V and pivoted brace 'v, substantially asdescribed, and for the purpose. set forth,

